Cap retainer



Dec. 27, 1938 .1. F'ARRELLY' 9 CAP RETAINER Filed Dec. 11, 1935 INVENTOR. I

ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 27, 1938 UNlTED STATES PATENT UFFIQE 1 Claim.

The invention relates to means for shackling a screw cap to a'container so that said cap is retained against possible loss, and in accessible position for replacement when unscrewed.

One object of the present invention is to provide a cap retainer which is simple and inexpensive, which may be very easily attached to a container and a cap without any substantial change in the standard or existing forms of these members, and which does not interfere with the easy and free finger rotative manipulation of the cap.

Various other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following particular description and from an inspection of the accompanying drawing in which:--

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a form of cap retainer, and

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of a fragment of a collapsible tube, on which is threaded a cap to which is applied the retainer of Fig. 1.

In the drawing there is shown a container which is in the form of a collapsible tube H) for shaving cream, dental cream and the like, and which has the usual threaded neck I I adapted to receive a cap l2. In order to prevent loss of the cap I2 through misplacement during the use of the collapsible tube I0, I provide a retainer is for shackling said cap to said tube.

The retainer i3 is made of a single length of wire welded together at the ends and bent into shape to form two opposed C-shaped yokes M, and a pair of loops l5 which are intermediate of said yokes, and which serve as springs for the retainer. The retainer I3 is attached to the container ill and the cap l2, so that the spring loops l5 are disposed between the yokes 14 when in closure position,

In order to receive one of the retainer yokes M, the neck ll of the container is provided with a retaining peripheral groove ll. The cap !2 is annularly provided with a retaining groove I8 for receiving the other retainer yoke M. The yokes It may be easily resiliently deformed into 5 snap engagement with the retainer grooves ll and I8 respectively, and the retainer it will be secured in said grooves while permitting the cap l2 to be rotated into open or closed position. Upon loosening of the cap l2, said cap will spring 1 away from the discharge opening of the tube it into position to permit free dis-charge of the material from said tube without interference or contamination with the cap l2. In this sense, the spring loops l serve as hinges about which 15 the cap swings away from the discharge opening of the tube IE, or swings intoclosure position for replacement on the tube.

It is seen that in this construction, the retainer is made from a single piece of resilient material, that it can be easily applied to a container or container cap by a simple snapping action, that it does not require any change in the construction of the container and its cap except for the provision of retainer grooves or tapered surfaces, and that it does not interfere with the free and easy manipulation of the cap, the entire periphery of the upper portion of the cap which is gripped for manipulation being entirely free from any encumberances.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A cap retainer made from a single length of wire and bent to form a pair of C-shaped yokes 3 open on their outer sides and interconnected by two parallel sections of said wire convoluted ,to form a pair of spring loops between said yokes.

JOSEPH FARRELLY. 

